Telephone numbers in the Dominican Republic
Encyclopedia
Telephone numbers in the Dominican Republic use area code 809 with 829 and 849 as overlay
codes. Telecommunications in the Dominican Republic use the North American Numbering Plan
(NANP) country code, 1, followed by the area code in the same form as an internal area code in other NANP countries, such as the US and Canada.
The area codes 809, 829 and 849 are telephone area codes solely for the Dominican Republic. Following the departure of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
from 809 in 1999, no other countries use the legacy 809 area code.
When in the Dominican Republic, the 3-digit area code followed by the 7-digit phone number must be dialed. When calling the Dominican Republic from the United States
or Canada
, this must be prefixed by the digit "1". From other countries the international prefix used in the originating country must be dialled before the "1".
operates as an overlay
for the local (809 and 849) telephone
area codes.
The dual area code system was added to local telephony in July 2005 and later mandatory in November 2005. The new telephony rules were almost wholly due to the explosive growth of the cellular population in the Dominican Republic
, starting in the mid-1990s with telephone prepaid-cards being the main propulsion, and growing incredibly through the early 2000s with the launch of two new cell-phone carriers making the major-cellular provider count four nationwide. The 809 area-code used to be the default legacy area code for many other Caribbean areas, including Puerto Rico
. In the mid-1990s, the 809 was split and eventually just assigned to the Dominican Republic
. Also, the reason for this newly placed dual area code system is that it is estimated the standard 7-digit area code could hold around 9.5 million number combinations, and currently there are around 1.6 million land-based lines and 4.2 million cellular phones. Thus it was decided to attach another area-code to this country, because of the extensive growth and threat of number depletion.
In early 2009 a decision was made to add a second overlay, 849. The triple area code system went into effect on February 15, 2010.
Overlay plan
In telephony, especially in North America, an overlay plan is the practice of introducing a new area code by applying it onto a geographic area that is already occupied by one or more existing area codes, resulting in two area codes serving the same area.- Methodology :Prior to the introduction of...
codes. Telecommunications in the Dominican Republic use the North American Numbering Plan
North American Numbering Plan
The North American Numbering Plan is an integrated telephone numbering plan administered by Neustar which encompasses 24 countries and territories, including the United States and its territories, Canada, Bermuda, and 16 nations of the Caribbean...
(NANP) country code, 1, followed by the area code in the same form as an internal area code in other NANP countries, such as the US and Canada.
The area codes 809, 829 and 849 are telephone area codes solely for the Dominican Republic. Following the departure of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an island country in the Lesser Antilles chain, namely in the southern portion of the Windward Islands, which lie at the southern end of the eastern border of the Caribbean Sea where the latter meets the Atlantic Ocean....
from 809 in 1999, no other countries use the legacy 809 area code.
When in the Dominican Republic, the 3-digit area code followed by the 7-digit phone number must be dialed. When calling the Dominican Republic from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
or Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, this must be prefixed by the digit "1". From other countries the international prefix used in the originating country must be dialled before the "1".
New codes
Area code 829 for the Dominican RepublicDominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
operates as an overlay
Overlay plan
In telephony, especially in North America, an overlay plan is the practice of introducing a new area code by applying it onto a geographic area that is already occupied by one or more existing area codes, resulting in two area codes serving the same area.- Methodology :Prior to the introduction of...
for the local (809 and 849) telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
area codes.
The dual area code system was added to local telephony in July 2005 and later mandatory in November 2005. The new telephony rules were almost wholly due to the explosive growth of the cellular population in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, starting in the mid-1990s with telephone prepaid-cards being the main propulsion, and growing incredibly through the early 2000s with the launch of two new cell-phone carriers making the major-cellular provider count four nationwide. The 809 area-code used to be the default legacy area code for many other Caribbean areas, including Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. In the mid-1990s, the 809 was split and eventually just assigned to the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. Also, the reason for this newly placed dual area code system is that it is estimated the standard 7-digit area code could hold around 9.5 million number combinations, and currently there are around 1.6 million land-based lines and 4.2 million cellular phones. Thus it was decided to attach another area-code to this country, because of the extensive growth and threat of number depletion.
In early 2009 a decision was made to add a second overlay, 849. The triple area code system went into effect on February 15, 2010.
809 scam
Telephone fraud scams once revolved around the 809 area code; it was being used since calling international numbers are charged at a higher rate than domestic calls. There may have been a resurgence with wireless telephones. The victim receives a message on their answering machine to call a number with an 809 area code. Since there were many new area codes being introduced in the US, the victim thinks nothing of it and dials the 809 number. The number dialed is however an international number with a share of the revenue going to the operator of the number. The victim is then put on hold indefinitely, and billed for each minute they are on hold. This is actually perfectly legal, because the number is charged at normal international rates, and is not premium rate.See also
- List of NANP area codes
- North American Numbering PlanNorth American Numbering PlanThe North American Numbering Plan is an integrated telephone numbering plan administered by Neustar which encompasses 24 countries and territories, including the United States and its territories, Canada, Bermuda, and 16 nations of the Caribbean...
- Area codes in the CaribbeanArea codes in the CaribbeanFrom 1958 to about 1995, most of the British West Indies in the Caribbean Basin plus Bermuda, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico shared a single area code 809 in the North American Numbering Plan...
External links
- North American Numbering Plan Administration (NANPA)
- Telecommunications in The Caribbean
- Federal Communications Commission regarding the 809 scam
- AT&T webpage regarding the 809 scam and subsequent spam. Retrieved September 17, 2007.
- scambusters.org webpage regarding the spammed version of their 809 warning. Retrieved May 7, 2006.
- List of exchanges from AreaCodeDownload.com, 809 Area Code
- List of exchanges from AreaCodeDownload.com, 829 Area Code
- List of exchanges from AreaCodeDownload.com, 849 Area Code